Winning A Losing Battle
by jerikataryn
Summary: Bethyl One-Shot - "We're winning a losing battle, Daryl."


They were inevitable. The walkers were inevitable. Every turn, every bend, they all lend to the walkers. As Beth and Daryl escaped from the prison, not even they could escape them. Their pounding feet and ragged breaths were enough to attract a whole slew of them. Though Beth and Daryl were faster than the undead, that didn't sway them from still pursuing the pair.

The duo ran into the trees, Daryl pushing Beth ahead of him so he could always keep an eye on her. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if something happened to her. Branches, leaves and twigs snapped against their faces as they ran for their lives. Daryl wanted to get as much distance between them and the prison as they could. It wasn't safe for them anymore. Daryl glanced behind them, the undead still stumbling in their wake.

"Go, Beth," he gasped. "Don't stop." Beth nodded, even though she knew Daryl wouldn't see it. She was convincing herself that everything was going to be all right. Even if her father was dead, everything would be okay. But the nightmare hadn't caught up to her yet. Beth had given up on trying avoid the branches slapping her face. All she wanted to do was get away from the prison and from the walkers that were chasing her.

She could feel the blood tricking down her cheeks and under the curve of her chin. They were her crimson tears that she couldn't cry yet. They had been running for awhile, breaths ripping out of their throats. They would have to stop soon.

Just when they thought the woods wound never end, they broke into a meadow. They tore through the thigh high grass and down the slight slope of the hill. Beth could hear the twisted moans of the walkers drawing closer. It scared her – the game of cat and mouse. Beth tried to lengthen her stride, but it only cost her.

Her foot tangled in an uprooted branch, tumbling to the ground. She rolled to her back as Daryl tumbled to the ground beside her. He would not leave her behind. He tried to catch her, but it was already too late. As they lay on the soft bedding of grass, they realized just how tired they were. Their muscles burned and the breathing felt like swallowing knives.

Beth tried to move her arms, but they only felt like jelly. They laid side by side, trying to regain their breathe, a solid moment of pure rest. But it was only ripped apart by the arrival of the undead. Daryl grasped Beth's arm, helping her to her feet as the walkers stumbled towards them.

They both scrambled to their feet, Daryl's fingers entwining with Beth's as he tugged her along. The dead were on their heels. Adrenaline pulsed through their veins as they fled from the horde pursuing them. Daryl turned as he ran, pulling the trigger on his Horton, an arrow piercing the skull of one of the walkers in the front of the pack.

It tumbled to the ground, taking out a few walkers with it. It wasn't much, but it spared them a few more moments of life. But it was a waste of an arrow. Daryl glanced beside him to the blonde, "We're gonna have to turn n' fight. We ain't runnin' forever."

She met his eyes, a look of agreement sparkling within the blue shade. Beth ripped her hand from Daryl's as they slowed. She raised her rifle as Daryl rose his crossbow, loading another arrow the fastest he could possibly. She shot her first shot, missing from the panic that was racing through her. She took a deep breath and shot again, the bullet tearing through her target.

Daryl let his arrow go, effectively taking out another walker. There was only a few left. He lowered the Horton again, loading it with another arrow. In a matter of minutes, all the walkers had been put down. Beth ran through half of her rounds on the rifle. She had a pistol left and that was it. That alone only held six rounds. Daryl looked at her, rubbing sweat from his forehead with his wrist.

He started towards the scattering of zombies, tearing his arrows free of their heads. Beth leaned over, hands on her knees, rifle lying in front of her. Daryl finished collecting his arrows, stuffing them back into his quiver. "Yah all right, Beth?" He asked, making his way over to the young girl.

She looked up to him, nodding silently. She still hadn't caught her breath yet. After months of living in the prison, she had managed to get out of shape. She would make sure that never would happen again, it almost cost them their lives. "Are you okay?" Beth asked, straightening up, watching him as he picked up her rifle.

"I'm fine," he told her. Daryl pulled the magazine out of the gun and peered inside. He sighed. They were going to have to find ammo somewhere and soon. He clipped the magazine back onto the rifle and handed it back to Beth. She swung it around over her shoulder. "You need a silent weapon. I'll give yah my knife," he told her, hand moving to his belt.

He unbuckled his knife sheath and stooped to her hips. Beth gasped as he guided the leather strap through her belt straps. He maneuvered it around the revolver sticking out of her waistband. She held her breath, never having someone so close to her _there._ Her hips jiggled as he tugged and pulled, but finally buckled the sheath into place, the blade resting against her thigh.

Daryl looked up to her and then stood. He was staring at her. Daryl never realized before how beautiful Beth Greene was. He restrained himself from licking his lips. "Let's get going. We'll try to loop around back, see if we can find anyone," he instructed, walking way from her. Beth's shoulders sagged, relief flowing through her muscles. She walked after him, the feeling of the knife against her leg took some getting used to.

She couldn't help but blush thinking about he had given her his knife. She knew Daryl didn't like to share anything, weapons especially. Beth wanted to think she held a special place in his heart even after the fall of the prison. They were making their way across the meadow, the grass tickling her calves where her boots didn't quite reach her Capri's.

They walked long into the night, stars shining through the foliage of the forest. Long gone was the meadow they found earlier. Beth wanted to keep her eyes on the stars. It had been forever that she could fall asleep looking at the stars since she had been at the prison. It was one thing she missed about being on the road. She wanted to think they were shining for her now, egging her on to keep going to safety. Wherever safety was at the moment.

She wanted to say something to Daryl but it just didn't seem right. The silence between them did. Daryl was a man of few words, but when he spoke, one better be listening to him. That was one of the things Beth loved about him. She watched his shoulders as they glided underneath his angel wing vest.

The moonlight only illuminated little in the coverage of the trees, but Beth wanted to run her hands over his arms, wanting to feel the muscles underneath that she always was staring at. She knew what she was feeling was a young girl crush. Similar to falling for a school teacher. It was forbidden. "Daryl," she called silently. His head jerked to the side, but he said nothing. "When are we going to stop?" Beth inquired.

"When we find somewhere safe," he replied gruffly. Beth knew that with Daryl that meant they could be walking until morning. They walked on farther, the stars shining brighter as the trees started to thin out. They were back in the meadow. She knew they were trying to loop around and get back to the prison, but she didn't think Daryl meant for them to end up here.

Beth almost ran into Daryl when she hadn't realized he stopped walking. "What is it?" Beth asked, stepping back away from him. Daryl turned around to squint at her in the dark. The moonlight shone off Beth's sweated skin, showing all the peaks and valleys of her skin. His eyes skirted over her cleavage.

He sighed, running a hand over his face and over the scruff of his beard. "We're lost. I know how to get back to the meadow, but I can't get us back to the prison in the dark," he said. He almost felt embarrassed in front of Beth. She knew he was a tracker and he was failing at the moment. But Beth understood. They had gone through a whole shit ton of stuff, it was okay if his tracking was a little rusty in the now.

"Let's sleep here, then," Beth suggested. It was an ideal place. The grass would be soft to sleep on, warm even. They could take turns on watch, the flat open land making it easy to spot walkers. Daryl nodded and Beth almost collapsed to the ground. Her mouth was parched from the lack of water. Her stomach refused to growl, long beyond the line of hungry to ravenous. It clenched painfully, wanting food.

She didn't even want to think about how tired her muscles were. She needed a long sleep but Beth knew Daryl was an early riser. He was always one of the first people to wake in the prison. Beth sat down, the grass compressing underneath her. She removed the rifle and revolver from her person and laid them on the ground beside her for easy access if needed.

Beth then laid back, folding her arms underneath her head. Her eyes were starting to droop close almost immediately. "Daryl, lay down at least. Wake me when you start to get tired and I'll go on watch then," Beth slurred, sleep trying to take hold of her voice. Daryl gazed down to Beth sprawled across the grass.

She was almost hard to look at. His eyes hovered over the small strip of her stomach that was exposed, the hip bones jutting out. She was too skinny for his liking. They needed to find food. Almost reluctantly, Daryl stooped to the ground and sat across from Beth. "Sleep now, girl," he told her, watching as her eyes fluttered shut. He knew how tired she was.

He was proud of her and what they both accomplished after the fall of the prison. She watched her daddy get beheaded, their home get torn apart and then Daryl asked a lot of her. They walked the whole day away. Daryl was used to it from years of hunting and going on runs. Beth, she wasn't used to it, but she almost had him convinced.

Daryl pulled at the grass by his feet. Beth had already fallen asleep, the rise and fall of her chest slow and labored. She looked peaceful in the moonlight, like an angel. She surely had the face of one. Daryl split the blade of grass in his hands in two, peeling it apart down the middle. He needed something to do to keep himself awake.

He couldn't deny that he _was _tired. Daryl wanted nothing more than to curl up next to Beth and get a few hours of shuteye, but he couldn't. They weren't safe yet. Beth shifted, rolling onto her side, hands balling in the grass by her sides. Daryl had watched Beth sleep before during winter after they were forced to leave her family's farm. He knew she slept like a newborn baby, always sprawled out on her back and that was it.

He knew then that something was wrong. He could barely make out the pained expression on her face as she slept in the darkness. Her hands tightened around the grass, pulling slightly. A cry ripped from her lips and tears streamed down her face as the nightmare bloomed behind her eyelids. Daryl scrambled forward before she got too scared.

Her shoulders were thin and bony as he grasped them and shook. It pained him to hear her cry out at her nightmare. He shook her once more, uttering a silent prayer that she would wake. Her blue eyes popped open as a gasp tore from her mouth. Daryl's heart broke when he saw the tears swimming in her eyes, still streaming down her face.

Taking him by surprise, Beth reached up, throwing her arms around his neck. She tightened her grip, letting her cries run their course. Daryl stilled. He wasn't used to having people cling to him like this, let alone Beth Greene. Taking a deep breathe, Daryl wrapped his arms around her small frame, giving her the comfort she sought. "I saw him," she wailed into his shoulder.

Daryl's brow furrowed. Who was she talking about? But he realized that she could only be talking about her father. "I was there, I could have stopped it but my feet wouldn't move. I was stuck. I could have stopped it!" The words fell from her lips like a sin. Daryl tightened his grip on the young girl. He wished there was someone for him when he was younger, someone to take the pain away. He would be that someone for Beth.

"There was nothing yah could do, Beth. It wasn't your fault." Her eyes were like a storm when she pulled back – a hurricane of emotion. Daryl never saw such emotion in someone's eyes before. It was breathtaking in an evil sort of way. Beth sniffled, rubbing at her nose with the back of her hand. She had only realized now that she was still holding onto Daryl.

It felt like a completely different person that grabbed onto him. She was a mess of emotion, snot and tears. "I'm sorry," she murmured, embarrassment burning in her cheeks. She had pushed the thought of her father out of her mind all day. Beth had triumphed over his death. She didn't know why but she wasn't ready yet to mourn over her father earlier, but she was now. Daryl shook his head, refusing her apology.

"Ain't gotta apologize to me," he said. Beth nodded, pulling back from him completely. She wrapped her arms around her torso, gripping her sides. She was exhausted now, the tears and walking catching up to her. She thought she was tired before but she had never felt anything quite like she did now. "Sleep now," he said and she obeyed.

She laid back against the grass and was out before Daryl could get situated again. He felt for the girl. He would let her sleep as long as he could see that she didn't have a repeat nightmare. Daryl wanted nothing more than to keep her safe, in her dreams and in reality. He would make Hershel proud, he wouldn't let any harm come to her. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

Daryl woke with a startle, the sun glaring down upon him. It was early, the sun not yet fully risen in the sky. He sat up, stretching. He had fallen asleep during the night, unable to stay awake. He couldn't wake Beth, she had finally fallen asleep and stayed asleep – the nightmares staying away. He couldn't do that to her. But yet, he couldn't stay awake all night either. Thankfully, no walkers had stumbled across their hideout in the middle of their meadow.

Beth was still snoozing, her blonde hair fanned out around her. Daryl cracked a smile as he gazed at her only to be interrupted by his stomach. He knew he was hungry, but he never felt a hunger quite like this before, not in years. Daryl cursed under his breath as – for the second time – he shook Beth awake. She groaned, her voice tainted with sleep.

Reluctantly, Beth stirred awake. "You didn't wake me," she accused when she saw that it was daylight. "You didn't stay awake all night, did you?" She asked, arching an eyebrow. She didn't know which answer she was dreading more, yes or no?

He shook his head, "Nah." That was all he said, gauging her reaction. She kept her gaze even against his. She knew he had fallen asleep during his watch. She couldn't be angry, they both needed their rest. But she couldn't keep from being scared as well. One bite was all it took to become a monster.

Together, they both walked around the small meadow, stretching our their muscles from their sleep on the grass. It was nothing compared to their prison mattresses. Beth would give anything to have those back. "We need to find food," she said, thinking out loud. Daryl nodded, tending to his Horton. He counted his arrows. Seven in all. He would have had eight, but he had lost one along the way when they fled from the prison.

"We'll find somethin'," he promised her. He gazed at her from across the meadow as she rubbed at her shoulders. Beth believed Daryl, but she didn't know how long it would take to find that something. "We should go while it's still early." He trekked across the opening to stand beside her. She flicked her gaze upwards, meeting another blue stare.

She nodded. "Okay." Daryl could see her back at the prison in that moment. Her cardigan falling off her shoulder, her lips pursed as she masked her feelings. He could always see right through her façade whether he liked it or not. Together they left the safety of the open space and disappeared into the cover of the trees. As they walked, Beth thought about her nightmare. It was cloudy now, most of it forgotten but she could remember only one thing – her father smiling moments before he died.

Beth could feel the tears prick in her eyes so she pushed the thoughts away. She tucked the memories of her father away in her mind for a later date when she was comfortable with it all. There would be a time and place for that, and it was not now. It was a few hours of silence before Daryl spoke. "Look, there," he said, pointing his Horton in a general direction.

He looked back to her as she squinted through the trees and watched as her eyes sparked with hope. He chuckled as she reacted to seeing the cabin, speeding up to catch his pace. "They have to have food, or at least something left over," she said. Beth was never happier to even think about food or water. They were both cautious as they approached the structure.

Daryl toed open the door, noting that it was unlocked. He raised his crossbow, glaring over top of it, keeping an eye out for any movement whether it come from the living or the dead. Beth followed behind him, peeking out over his shoulder. She had pulled her revolver out of her waistband and had it angled towards the ground. They twisted and turned down a hallway, branching out into a living room.

"It seems to be okay," he said, looking back to Beth. She blinked up at him, trusting what he was telling her. "Let's find the kitchen." They left the living room through the other side of the room. It led to the kitchen, the cupboards all hanging ajar. Dread sunk deep in Beth's chest at the sight of the kitchen. She darted forward, throwing all the doors wider open just to confirm her suspicions. The place was picked clean.

She slammed a cupboard shut, Daryl standing back and watching her. There had to be other places that they could go, that they could raid. If they had the possibility of finding this place, they could find others. Daryl slinked over to the fridge, peering inside the fridge and the freezer. He found a half empty bottle of water, giving it all to Beth. He wondered why there was one bottle left when the rest of the place had been ransacked.

Beth downed the room temperature water in seconds, the bottle cracking and crunching in her hands. She didn't even think that Daryl didn't get a sip. She was disappointed in herself for not sharing – that was not how her father raised her. "I'm sorry," she admitted, throwing the bottle into the sink. She tried the faucet but no water came pouring out.

Daryl shrugged. "S'all right," he told her, trying to not make her feel more guilty than she already was. "Let's go. We'll find somewhere else." He turned to leave but didn't hear her following. "Beth, c'mon." Beth was turned away from him, her head bowed. Daryl didn't know what she was doing.

"Daryl, I have to use the bathroom. I – It seems to be my time of the month," Beth said, turning towards him. A blood red blotch was spotting her crotch, small but noticeable. She had gotten her period. She actually hadn't gotten in for months from not eating or drinking much with Judith on her hands. Somehow, she managed to get it in the most inconvenient time. Daryl cleared his throat but nodded.

She stalked down the next hallway, turning the doorknob to the bathroom. It was either that or a closet. She tugged the door open but it burst forward, the walker falling through the opening. It took Beth by surprise, pinning her against the wall and biting into her neck. She screamed out as the walker chewed her neck open, ripping a chunk off.

It was too late even when Daryl shot an arrow through the man's head. Beth slumped to the floor along with her attacker, the wound on her neck almost fatal. He shot forward, catching her in his arms. She was limp against him. "Get me out of here," she whispered, her voice barely audible. He leaned forward, scooping her up in his arms and dashing out of the house.

Panic and adrenaline were coursing through Daryl's veins as he carried Beth out of the house. His mind was trying to catch up with the events that just occurred. _Beth was bit. She was dying. _He stumbled to the ground, cradling her in his lap. The front of her shirt was already soaked through with blood.

His hand cupped her face and his other pressed to the wound on her neck. She was bleeding out. "You stay with me, Beth. Goddammit, keep your eyes on me," he growled, trying to push the tears away. Beth's eyes fluttered as she looked up to him. Her hand shook against his as she helped apply pressure, what little pressure she could give.

A smile fluttered across her lips. "It's hurts, Daryl," she whispered. He nodded. He wasn't going to tell her it didn't. It wasn't just the pain of the bite that was hurting her, it was Daryl himself that was. The look on his face was killing her. For a man that didn't show a lot of emotion, he was showing some now. Daryl tried to ignore the blood that was still spilling from her neck and the paling of her face, the unfocusing of her eyes. He pressed harder, wanting every last moment he could get with her. "I'm sorry," she cried, tears spilling down over her cheeks.

"Don't be sorry. Yah fought hard, Beth. Yah did. Ain't no reason to apologize. I'm proud of yah," Daryl told her. He only now realized that his own tears had fallen. He was holding such a beautiful girl in his arms and she was dying. He had such high hopes for her. She was going to tackle this world and it was all ending.

Beth swallowed, the pain evident in her face. "I'm not ready yet," she said, eyes falling shut. He knew it was short now, her blood almost all ran out. He pressed his palm against her chest, feeling the slow thud of her heart underneath. It was barely there but he could feel it. He wanted to say he wasn't ready either, but it wouldn't come out.

He called her name, shaking her, eyes trembling open again. He didn't know if he she was really seeing him or not. She was almost gone, he could see it. She was slipping away through his fingers and there was nothing to stop it.

"I'm scared," she rasped, breathing in a ragged gasp. He knew it hurt her to breathe, but it would all be over soon and she would be in peace.

Daryl leaned forward, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'm right here, Darlin'," he told her, finding her hand and squeezing it. She squeezed it back as hard as she could. It was the only thing keep her alive. "You go on now, it's all right," Daryl told her. The last thing he wanted was her being scared of dying, after all it was a new adventure.

Beth nodded slowly, her eyes falling shut for the last time, the last thing she ever saw was Daryl's face. She could barely utter it but she tried. "I love you," she told him. Slowly but surely, all the tears leaked from Beth's eyes and dried on her cheeks as her heart gave out. She fell limp completely in his arms. Daryl palmed her chest again, his hand meeting silence.

He yelled out at her death. It was the one thing he tried to prevent. He didn't even get to tell her he loved her back. He rested his forehead against hers as he mourned. That was the thing about Daryl, he got it out of the way and then tucked it away. It was how he stayed alive from when he was a kid until now. He never thought it would be quite this painful.

With trembling fingers, Daryl slipped the knife from the sheath on Beth's hip. This was the hardest part – it was a replay of Merle all over again only she hadn't changed yet. He couldn't stand to see her bright blue eyes glazed over a milky white and craving his flesh. He wouldn't be able to handle it.

He raised his crimson stained hands over her head and let the knife plunge down. He didn't have the strength to remove it yet, to finish the deed. "I love you, Beth," he said. He always had, just like she did. With his confession said, he jerked the knife free from her head and let it fall to the side. Daryl tried to calm his breathing. Her death was taking a toll on him.

He scrambled away from her body, clambering to his feet. He tugged on his hair as the realization hit him. He was alone. The one thing he was most afraid has finally caught up to him. He was completely and utterly alone. He reached out to Beth, unhooking her heart necklace from around her neck, part of the chain bloodied.

He slipped it into his pocket, the only physical memory he would allow himself of the blonde. Nothing to bury her with, Daryl stalked off back into the woods. She was tucked into his memory, not fully forgotten. No one could ever forget Beth Greene, not her blue eyes, her blonde hair or her unconditional love. Daryl would never forget the blonde, not even when it was his time to die. She would be waiting for him at the gates of heaven.


End file.
